KOZHIKODE: At a time when a growing number of people are turning to search engines, chatbots, and social media for medical advice, the line between information and misinformation has become dangerously thin. From searching symptoms on Google to seeking instant diagnoses from AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, health anxiety has quietly become a by-product of the digital age. It is in this noisy, confusing space that a Malayali woman has launched an initiative aimed not at replacing doctors, but at restoring clarity, calm, and trust in health information.
Dr Arathy Varghese, a researcher based in the United Kingdom, is the co-founder of LaennecAI, a health technology company behind Zörgm, an artificial intelligence engine designed to provide evidence-based medical information.
Unlike open-internet tools that often overwhelm users with worst-case scenarios, Zörgm focuses on explaining what is most likely, what to watch for, and what sensible next steps look like without indulging in fear-mongering.
“Today, people are drowning in information, but starving for clarity,” says Arathy, who hails from Punnapra, Alappuzha. “A confident answer online is not always a correct one, and in healthcare that confusion can delay the right action.”
Arathy’s journey into health technology is rooted in deep scientific research. With a background in electronics engineering, she completed her PhD from NIT Jaipur, followed by postdoctoral research at IIT Bombay and Cardiff University.
Her work focused on semiconductor-based biosensors combined with artificial intelligence for early disease detection, including cancer and kidney injury. But as her research progressed, she realised that translating lab innovation into real-world healthcare solutions was a long and complex journey. Arathy took this initiative along with her friend Dr Jase John from Kochi.
“Advanced medical technologies take years to reach patients,” she explains. “I wanted to create something that could help people now, especially in the moments between doctor visits.”
That turning point became personal when Arathy’s mother was diagnosed with skin cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Months spent in hospitals, surrounded by medical reports and unfamiliar terminology, left her family emotionally and mentally exhausted.
“We didn’t always understand why a medicine was prescribed or what a test result actually meant. When we searched online, the information was contradictory and frightening. That uncertainty stays with you.” Those experiences laid the foundation for Zörgm.
Built using a doctor-curated library of trusted medical sources including NHS-aligned guidance, WHO and CDC public health information, regulatory updates from agencies like the FDA, and peer-reviewed journals, Zörgm avoids the open internet altogether.
“Zörgm is not about guessing,” Arathy says. “It explains evidence in plain language and clearly shows the limits of what is known. That honesty matters in healthcare.” LaennecAI was founded in 2022 with early support from Innovate UK, followed by funding from NHS NIHR, the Welsh government, venture capital, angel investors, and backing from the Google AI programme.
Privacy has been a central design principle from day One. The platform does not sell or share personal data with advertisers, and sensitive details entered by users are automatically redacted. It currently supports translations in over 40 languages, including Malayalam.
Zörgm does not promote self-diagnosis or replace doctors. Instead, it helps users prepare better questions and recognise when professional care is needed.